


we're on each other's team

by KiaAnniel



Category: Dragon Age II
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Everyone Is Alive, F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-17
Updated: 2014-07-17
Packaged: 2018-02-09 07:23:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 688
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1973976
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KiaAnniel/pseuds/KiaAnniel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hawke tells Fenris a secret. They grow closer.</p>
            </blockquote>





	we're on each other's team

Hawke had been a slave.

Fenris was stunned, mouth open slightly, his lyrium tattoos tingling faintly.

_Hawke had been a slave._

Her teeth clenched, a frown wrinkling her brow when he didn't respond for some time. “Is it really such a shock? You got away. You've done well for yourself. I'm not so different. I just ended up being adopted by a family. It may have been easier for me to get away from that part of my life without them.” Her eyes were hard in a way Fenris had never seen before.

Hard like his almost always were.

The elf licked his lips, trying to gather his thoughts. “It's not that it's a shock like that so much as it is.. any other ex-slaves I have met, and myself, were always afraid, always looking behind them. Are always afraid. But you've never been like that, Hawke. You've always been so brave and selfless, always so ready to risk yourself for others. And now that I know some of your past, it makes you all the more beautiful.”

Their relationship was still new, still fragile, and Fenris wasn't quite used to complimenting Hawke on things other than battle prowess, but he was telling the truth. The fact that she had used her past as fuel to help the world, rather than drowning it in sorrow and drinking like he had made his breath catch and heart stutter.

Hawke's face softened, and she tucked a bit of hair back behind her ear as she laughed, a bit self-deprecatingly. For a moment, Fenris was caught up in the way the firelight made her skin glow. “Sorry, Fen. I'm just used to people showing me their worst when I tell them. Mother, Bethany and Carver don't know, at least not the full story. They know I ran away from a job I didn't want, though they think it was an apprenticeship. I haven't had the heart to tell them. They think I was respectable even before they took me in. You've taken it better than pretty much every person I've told. Which is admittedly a small number.” She looked up at him from where she had been studying her tea mug. “Sorry. I started rambling..”

“I like hearing you talk. I don't mind.” Fenris picked up a piece of toast from the plate between them, tearing the crust off to toss it between Fennel’s paws and nibbling at the rest himself.

“And I like hearing you talk. Your voice is, ah. Quite nice.” Hawke blushed and studied her cup again, prompting Fenris to drop the piece of toast on the plate and shift to his hands and knees.

He crawled around their food and his drink, settling down next to Hawke and putting his arm around her. “Then I will talk more for you. Your mother has been teaching me to read. I could read for you when I practice.” He leaned his head over to rest on her shoulder, and she took his free hand in one of hers.

“That would be wonderful. There is a bookstore I’ve been meaning to go to that opened recently, we could go there and pick out books for each other every now and then.” Hawke kissed the top of Fenris’ head before she stood up. “It’s getting late. We should sleep.” She tugged on the hand she was still holding, and Fenris sighed, standing up.

“I’ll take our dishes to the kitchen and let Fennel out. You can get the bed ready and wash up if you need to.” He kissed Hawke’s cheek, then gathered up the plate and mugs. “Fennel, come on, let’s go outside.” The hound followed the elf quite happily, and Hawke smiled after them. She felt very blessed to have her dog and her elf with her.

Half an hour later, Fennel was settled on his bed in front of the fireplace, Fenris and Hawke were almost asleep, and a light rain had started falling, softening the view of Hightown and muffling the bells that called the hour.

“I love you.”

“I love you too. Now sleep, silly elf.”

**Author's Note:**

> Everyone is alive because what is character death, that's a myth that doesn't belong in this fluff pile.  
> I picked Fennel because in plant symbolism/the language of flowers it means "Strength or, as in Shakespeare's Hamlet, flattery and deceit" which fits this very well. And it's a cute name for a big silly hound.


End file.
